Site 411 lies ca. 400m northwest of Site 128 and an equivalent distance south of Site 410. The closest perennial stream, the Rio San Bartolo, is currently 500m to the northeast at its nearest point. The terrain on which Site 411 was raised is relatively flat, rising very gradually from south-to-north. There were no signs of intentional looting at the settlement and modern disturbance of ancient remains seems to have been minimal.
The three surface-visible buildings at Site 411, irregularly arranged around a patio open to the north and west, were completely cleared during the 1996 field season. Excavations conducted at the settlement indicate that the patio’s eastern and southern flanks were largely filled in with architecture not apparent on ground surface (Structures 411-Sub1 and 411-Sub2); limited clearing on the north and west patio margins did not reveal construction on these sides. Both of the previously undetected buildings were investigated; Str. 411-Sub1 was fully uncovered while the western limit of Str. 411-Sub2 was exposed. In addition, a small remnant of yet another surface-invisible building, Str. 411-Sub3, was cleared immediately south of Str. 411-1. None of the structures at Site 411 stands more than 0.5m high. In addition to architecturally focused excavations, eight test pits were dug off the site’s northeast margin in search of activity loci remote from extant buildings.
Excavation conducted at Site 411 from March 4-21, 1996 was directed by M. Kneppler, M. Morrison, and K. Delvendahl. Fully 189m2 were cleared in the course of exposing the remnants of six buildings at the site; four were completely exposed (Strs. 411-1/3 and 411-Sub1) and two were partially uncovered (Strs. 411-Sub2 and 411-Sub3).
Structure 411-1(Figures **)
Structure 411-1 occupies the southeast corner of the patio, 1m south of Str. 411-Sub1 and 8.4m east of Str. 411-3. Clearing approximately 64m2 here in Subop. 411B, C, and E completely exposed Str. 411-1 and revealed at least two construction stages. Digging was pursued to maximum depths of 1.06m and 0.96m below modern ground surface outside and within construction, respectively. Evidence of a surface-level building (Str. 411-Sub3) was encountered 0.8m south of Str. 411-1's southeast corner, though only a small portion of this edifice was revealed. All work on and around Str. 411-1 was directed by M. Morrison.
| Time Span | Construction Phase | Units | Strata | Features | Date |
| 1 | - | - | S.1 | - | LCLIII/II |
| 2 |
Str. 411-1-2nd Str. 411-Sub3 |
U.1-8, 14 U.1-2 |
- - |
F/1-2 - |
LCLIII/II |
| 3 | - | - | S.2 | - | LCLIII/II |
| 4 |
Str. 411-1-1st |
U.9-13, 15 |
- | - | LCLIII/II |
| 5 | - | - | S.2-3 | F.3 | - |
Time Span 1
Stratum 1 is a grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very loosely consolidated soil mottled with bajareque. It was exposed to a maximum thickness of 0.08m (the base was not encountered) and ascends 0.04m over 6m from north-to-south. Elements of Str. 411-1-1st rest on or intrude 0.04m into S.1, suggesting that this earth layer was deposited prior to the edifice’s construction. Recovery of wattle-and-daub fragments from S.1 implies human occupation in the area prior to Str. 411-1-1st's erection.
Time Span 2
Structure 411-1-2nd is a surface-level edifice bounded on all sides by 0.55-0.7m wide cobble foundations that are approximately 0.6m high. The single earthen-floored room delimited by these footings measures 2.4x3.65m and was entered through at least one door, 0.77m wide, in the southern footing (U.3), 0.75m west of the southeast corner. A second possible entrance, this one 0.4m wide, may have existed in the eastern foundation (U.2), 0.45m north of the southeast corner. A ca. 0.4m high by 2.2m long stone-faced and -surfaced bench (U.5) is built against, and occupies most of, the room’s west side. Unit 5 stops 0.2m shy of the southern foundation. A 0.15m wide stone-faced element projects 0.9m east from the bench’s south margin, giving U.5 an L-shape.
Built against Str.411-1-2nd’s northwest corner is an earth-floored cubicle delimited by U.1 on the south and U.6, 7, and 14 on the east, north, and south, respectively. Units 6, 7, and 14 are 0.8m, 0.44m, and 0.94m wide, in turn. That U.6 and 14 abut U.1 and 4, Str. 411-1-2nd’s northern and western foundations, suggests that the northwest room was added relatively late in TS.2. The enclosure delimited by the above units was open on the west, entered through a ca. 0.5m wide gap between U.7 on the north and U.14 on the south. A low, stone-faced shelf (U.8), 0.73m wide, runs 0.85m across the room’s eastern end. The remainder of the compartment west of U.8 measures 0.78m north-south by 1.35m east-west. Fragments of burnt earth (F.2) scattered across this floor suggest that the surface was subject to intense heat at some point(s) during TS.2. An irregularly shaped patch of burned earth covering approximately 0.3x0.5m (F.1) was located 0.82m west of Str. 411-1-2nd’s northeast corner and 0.14m north of the building’s northern footing (U.1). Feature 1 is roughly level with U.1's base and points to an episode of intense heating in this area during TS 2.
By TS.2's conclusion, Str. 411-1-2nd was a surface-level building covering 3.82x4.94m, oriented approximately 172 degrees. The earthen-floored room delimited by these 0.55-0.7m wide and ca. 0.6m high stone footings encompasses 8.8m2 and contains a 0.4m high by 2.2m long stone-faced bench built against the western wall. A 0.15m wide projection extends 0.9m east from the bench’s south face. A second, smaller earthen-floored room is built on ground surface off Str. 411-1-2nd’s northwest corner. This cubicle, open on the west, measures 0.73-0.85m north-south by 2.18m east-west. A low, stone-faced shelf fills the eastern 0.73m of the room. Evidence of burning on the room’s floor fronting the shelf was noted; burnt earth was also recorded off Str. 411-1-2nd’s northwest corner.
Roughly contemporary with Structure 411-1-2nd’s TS. 2 manifestation are U.1 and 2 of Str. 411-Sub3. These are 0.11m high, 0.2-0.41m wide stone foundations for a surface-level building that intersect 0.83m south of Str. 411-1-2nd’s southeast corner. Only about 1m of U.1 and 0.5m of U.2 were revealed, the former aligned roughly 60 degrees. The majority of this casually built, earthen-floored edifice lies beyond excavation to the south.
Both Strs. 411-1-2nd and 411-Sub3 are built of river cobbles set in a mud mortar. The former’s stones are generally carefully placed so that their naturally flatter surfaces are directed outwards. This is not the case for Str. 411-Sub3 where rock orientations were not of great concern to the builders.
Time Span 3
At this time, approximately 0.55m of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loosely compacted silty loam with some gravel inclusions (S.2) was laid down around Str. 411-1-2nd. It is unclear whether this depositional episode was the product of human or natural forces. In any event, the above event may have precipitated the addition of ca. 0.3m to Str. 411-1-2nd’s perimeter walls (U.1-4) and the sealing of its southeastern door(s) (see TS.4). Structure 411-Sub1, about 2.4m north of Str. 411-1-2nd’s northern basal facing (U.1) rests on top of this newly added soil and is the clearest evidence for S.2's deposition at this time. Structure 411-Sub3 was probably buried by S.2 and not rebuilt.
Time Span 4
Probably more-or less contemporary with the laying down of S.2, Str. 411-1-2nd’s southeastern door(s) was sealed and the building’s interior filled with a yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loosely compacted silty loam containing some gravel (U.15; identical to S.2 which was probably the source of this hearting). The putative door in Str. 411-1-2nd’s eastern foundation (U.2) was closed by a construction as wide as U.2 itself. The wider, former entryway in the southern footing (U.3), however, was spanned by a narrow stone addition only 0.26m wide, leaving an indentation in U.3's outer (southern) facing that is 0.44m deep by 0.77m across. The addition of U.15 fill completely covered the U.5 bench and created a featureless, earthen-floored summit covering 2.4x3.65m. The aforementioned additions to Str. 411-1-2nd’s perimeter walls means that the platform was now 0.3m high.
Contemporary with this transformation of Str. 411-1-2nd from surface-level building to a platform, Str. 411-1-1st, was conversion of the northwest room into an earth-filled and -surfaced terrace covering 1.33x3.1m. Unit 13, a 0.29m wide facing, sealed the western door and the U.8 shelf disappeared beneath the newly introduced fill (treated here as a continuation of U.15). At more-or-less the same time an earthen-floored terrace defined by U.9-12 was constructed off Str. 411-1-1st’s northeast corner. This addition covers 1.36x1.93m and is 1.63m east of the newly converted northwest terrace. The northeast terrace fully encapsulates Str. 411-1-1st’s northeast corner, extending 0.78m east and 0.55m south of that corner along U.1 and 2, respectively.
By TS. 4's termination, Str.411-1-1st was a 0.3m high stone-faced platform oriented 172 degrees and encompassing 3.82x4.94m (18.9m2). Its earthen summit covers 8.8m2 and lacks any signs of built-in furniture, such as benches. The platform’s northwest and northeast corners are covered by earthen-surfaced terraces that measure 1.33m and 1.36m wide north-south and are 3.1m and 1.93m long, respectively. Time Span 4 is contemporary with Str. 411-Sub1's TS.2, as suggested by stratigraphic relations between the two edifices.
Time Span 5
Structure 411-Sub1 (Figures **)
Structure 411-Sub1 lies 1m north of Str. 411-1-1st’s northern facing (U.1) and is 0.74m beyond the latter’s northwest terrace (U.7). Not visible on the surface, this diminutive construction was uncovered during clearing of Str. 411-1. Fully 11.5m2 were uncovered in the course of completely exposing Str. 411-Sub1 (Subop 411B), excavations being pursued to depths of 0.4m and 0.61m below modern ground surface within and outside construction, respectively. A single major building phase was revealed in the course of this work. Digging on and around Str. 411-Sub1 was directed by M. Morrison.
| Time Span | Construction Phase | Units | Strata | Features | Date |
| 1 | - | - | S.2 | - | LCLIII/II |
| 2 | Str. 411-Sub 1-1st | U.1-8 | - | - | LCLIII/II |
| 3 | - | - | S.2,3 | F.1 | - |
Time Span 1
Time Span 1 witnessed the deposition of S.2, a yellowish-brown (10YR 5/4) loosely consolidated silty loam with some gravel inclusions (this is a northward continuation of S.2 identified in the Str. 411-1 investigations). Approximately 0.55m of S.2 was deposited prior to Str. 411-Sub1-1st’s construction; this is the thickness of S.2 that underlies the base of construction, extending down to S.1 (see Str. 411-1). As noted in the discussion of Str. 411-1's occupation sequence, this portion of S.2 was laid down during the latter’s TS.3. Whether deposition of S.2 resulted from natural or cultural processes is unknown. Cultural material retrieved from S. 2 does, however, indicate a human presence in the immediate area during this interval.
Time Span 2
By TS. 2's conclusion, Str. 411-Sub1-1st was a surface level building encompassing 2.35x2.75m (exclusive of the outset) and oriented roughly 6 degrees. A 0.3m wide doorway in the edifice’s southwest corner issued onto a pair of earthen-floored rooms set in an east-west line each covering 1.5m2. A low, stone-faced shelf occupies the entirety of each cubicle’s north walls, leaving only 0.9m2 and 1m2 of open floor space in the western and eastern enclosures, respectively. A low, 0.1-0.28m wide, 1.2m long stone outset was set against Str. 411-Sub1-1st's southern foundation apparently late in TS.2. All architecture associated with Str. 411-Sub1-1st consists of river-rounded cobbles set in a mud mortar. Some effort was devoted to directing the naturally flatter faces of these stones outward. Structure 411-Sub1-1st’s TS.2 corresponds with TS.4 in Str. 411-1's sequence, more-or-less contemporary with the erection and use of Str. 411-1-1st.
Time Span 3
Structure 411-2 (Figures **)
Structure 411-2 is 3.6m north of Str. 411-Sub1 and 10.5m northeast, and across the patio, from Str. 411-3. Approximately 57m2 were cleared in the course of fully exposing this building, all work conducted within Subop. 411C. Digging was carried down to maximum depths of 0.6m and 0.62m below modern ground surface outside and within areas delimited by architecture, respectively, revealing one construction phase. Investigations at Str. 411-2 were directed by M. Kneppler.
| Time Span | Construction Phase | Units | Strata | Features | Date |
| 1 | - | - | S.1 | - | LCLIII/II |
| 2 | Str. 411-2-1st | U.1-5 | - | F.1 | LCLIII/II |
| 3 | - | - | S.1, 2 | F.2 | - |
Time Span 1
During this span at least 0.12m of S.1, a yellowish-brown (10YR 5/4) soil, was laid down (S.1's base lies beyond excavation limits). Stratum 1 is most likely a northern continuation of S.2 encountered in the excavations of Strs. 411-1 and 411-Sub1. Recovery of cultural material from this layer points to human occupation in the immediate area during TS.1.
Time Span 2
Structure 411-2-1st is a surface-level building bounded by foundations measuring 0.38-0.68m across and standing 0.34-0.0.72m high (U.1-4). Note that a 0.4m wide segment of U.3, the southern foundation, extends 0.15m west from its intersection with the western footing, U.4. The architectural significance of this extension is unclear. The earthen-floored enclosure defined by U.1-4 covers 2.75x2.85m and was entered through an ample, 1.75m wide, door in its western flank. This passage extends south from the western terminus of U.1, the northern foundation. A 0.2m wide extension of U.3's interior face seems to have served as a shelf (U.5). Unit 5 starts about 0.6m east of the enclosure’s southwest interior corner and runs 2.15m along the southern side of the room. Though difficult to discern, it appears hat U.5 is integrated with U.3.
A patch of burnt earth (F.1) at least 0.03m thick (its base was not exposed) lies 0.4m south of Str. 411-2-1st. Feature 1 approximates a circle, covering ca. 1.5m north-south by 1.6m east-west, though its southern margins are unclear; F.1 gradually disintegrates in this direction. Given its stratigraphic position, equivalent to at the base of U.3, it seems likely that F.1 signifies intense burning in Str. 411-2-1st’s vicinity some time during TS.2.
Structure 411-2-1st ended TS.2 as a surface-level building measuring 3.9x4m and aligned roughly 2 degrees. Entered through a 1.75m wide door in its northwest corner, the earthen-floored room it contained measures 7.8m2. A 0.2m wide by 2.15m long shelf is the only architecture within this enclosure and is built into the room's southern boundary wall. Activities involving high heat took place ca. 0.4m south of Str. 411-Sub2-1st resulting in a patch of burnt earth covering approximately 1.5x1.6m.
All TS. 2 architecture consists of river cobbles set in a mud mortar. The naturally flatter faces of these rocks are, by-and-large, directed outwards.
Time Span 3
Structure 411-3 (Figures **)
Structure 411-3, the last surface-visible building on Site 411's west margin, is 10.5m southwest, and across the patio, from Str. 411-2 and 8.4m east of Str. 411-1. Digging, carried out in Subop. 411D, exposed ca. 37m2 in the course of revealing completely Str. 411-3-1st. Excavations were pursued to a maximum depth of 0.6m below modern ground surface outside and within construction, revealing evidence of two construction stages. All investigations at Str. 411-3 were directed by K. Delvendahl.
| Time Span | Construction Phase | Units | Strata | Features | Date |
| 1 | - | - | S.1 | - | LCLIII/II, I? |
| 2 | Str. 411-3-2nd | U.10 | - | - | LCLIII/II |
| 3 | Str. 411-3-1st | U.1-9, 11 | - | - | LCLIII/II |
| 4 | - | - | S.1, 2 | F.1 | - |
Time Span 1
Stratum 1, a dark brown, hard-compacted soil, runs beneath final-phase architecture by at least 0.18m, though the base of this layer was not reached.
Time Span 2
Unit 10, the sole visible remnant of Str. 411-3-2nd, is a cobble wall exposed in the earthen summit floor of Str. 411-3-1st. This construction is 0.15m wide and runs 0.7m, at an orientation of roughly 0 degrees, under U.9. There is not enough information to even hazard a guess concerning U.10's architectural significance. Its identification does suggest that Str. 411-3 reached its final form as the result of at least one major renovation.
Time Span 3
Structure 411-3-1st is a platform bounded on all sides by stone facings 0.5-0.7m wide and 0.5m high (U.1-4). The northern basal wall (U.1) is the widest, U.2-4 consistently measuring about 0.5m across. Appended to the building’s northwest corner is U.5, a 0.45-0.55m wide, 0.12m high, 2.25m long stone-faced, earth-filled terrace. Unit 5 extends 0.3m west beyond Str. 411-3-1st’s northwest corner. Units 1-4 retain a fill (U.11) composed of hard-compacted dark brown soil identical to S.1.
The earthen-floored summit encompasses 3.3x4.5m and supports at least two rooms. The largest compartment takes up all but 1.2x1.25m of this space and contains what appear to be a stone-faced shelf (U.6) and bench (U.9). Unit 6, 0.35m wide north-south, 0.23m high, 1.35m long east west, is 0.5m north of the summit room’s southern margin (the interior facing of U.3). There is no sign of construction linking U.3 and 6, suggesting that the latter was free-standing. Lying 1.25m north of U.6 is U.9, a 0.35-0.6m wide, 0.2m high wall that expands in width from west to east over its 2.35m length. Unit 9 intersect the western room margin (U.4's interior face) and terminates without clear resolution on the east. The 0.55m separating U.9's east end from the north room footing (U.1's south face) may have been traversed by stone construction, though only tumbled remnants of this putative linkage survived by the time it was excavated. If so, U.9 could have been the south facing of a 1m wide by 2.35m long earth-filled and -surfaced bench. Should U.9 have been free-standing it might still have served as narrow bench, shelf, or footing delimiting the south side of a 0.55m wide by 2.35m long cubicle in the summit’s northwest corner. A clearer compartment is delimited by U.7 and 8, low foundations measuring 0.3-0.4m wide. The latter construction extends 0.35m onto U.1, the northern basal facing; this is the only piece of summit architecture to encroach on the Str. 411-3-1st’s basal walls. Units 7 and 8 bound a space covering 0.5m by, maximally, 1.25m in the summit’s northeast quadrant, 0.6m east of U.9. A 0.3m wide gap in the compartment’s southwest corner could have provided access to its interior.
Overall, Str. 411-3-1st measured 4.55x5.5m (excluding the northwest terrace), stood ca. 0.5m high, and was oriented 4 degrees, by TS.2's conclusion. A 0.45-0.55m wide terrace running 2.25m east-west abuts the building’s northwest corner. The earthen floored summit was dominated by a room covering 13.35m2 and containing a free-standing shelf as well as what might have been bench set into the compartment’s northwest corner. A very small cubicle, encompassing 0.6m2, is in the superstructure’s northeast quadrant. All architecture associated with Str. 411-3-1st consists of river-rounded cobbles, bound together with a mud mortar, and generally oriented so that their naturally flatter faces look outwards.
Time Span 4
Structure 411-3-1st was eventually buried by the continued deposition of S.1 and the introduction of S.2. The latter is a 0.19-0.31m thick light brown humus level that blankets S. 1 and all extant architecture. A moderately dense scattering of stones fallen from final-phase construction (F.1) was found atop and around Str. 411-3-1st’s margins.
Structure 411-Sub2 (Figure**)
Structure 411-Sub2 is sandwiched between Strs. 411-1-1st and 411-3-1st, the latter a scant 0.55m west of this building. Not detected on ground surface, Str. 411-Sub2 came to our attention while clearing Str. 411-3 in Subop. 411D. A total of 11m2 was exposed while clearing the western and part of the southern limits of Str. 411-Sub2; the remainder of the building was not uncovered because of time restrictions. Digging in Subop. 411D was pursued to a maximum depth of 0.6m below modern ground surface, all work here being supervised by K. Delvendahl.
| Time Span | Construction Phase | Units | Strata | Features | Date |
| 1 | Str. 411-Sub2-1st | U.1-2 | - | - | LCLIII/II |
| 2 | - | - | S.1, 2 | F.1 | - |
Time Span 1
Structure 411-Sub2-1st is a surface level building delimited on the west and south by stone foundations measuring 0.4-0.45m wide and standing 0.32m tall (U.1 and 2). Unit 1 defines the building’s western margin and is 3.4m long north-south. It corners with U.2, the southern foundation, which was traced for 2.1m to the east before excavation ceased. On the north, U.1 does not intersect with another construction, suggesting that it may mark the south side of a door at this point. Based on the lack of architecture found in the vicinity of U.1's northern terminus, it appears that this entryway was fairly ample, being at least 0.8m wide. In this way, Str. 411-Sub2-1st resembles Str. 411-2-1st with its broad entryway leading into a large room, in this case an earthen-floored compartment covering at least 1.6x3m; no built-in furniture was recorded.
Overall, Str. 411-Sub2-1st is a surface-level building covering, minimally, 2.1x3.4m and oriented approximately 178 degrees. A broad door in the edifice’s northwest corner gave access to a large earthen-floored room measuring at least 4.8m2. Both U.1 and 2 were fashioned using rounded river cobbles set in a mud mortar and with their naturally flatter aspects oriented outwards.
Time Span 2
Test Pits
Chronological Summary